Thursday, May 08, 2014

The offseason goal of every team in
the NFL is to improve their team.The
primary wave of free agency has passed. Next up will be the NFL draft followed
by the bargain shopping in the free agency after the draft. GM’s and fans alike
tend to focus on the new additions to the team when trying to get a feel for
how much improvement the team will show.However, a very important aspect of the success of all teams will hinge
on how the players remaining on their rosters from the prior season improve or
decline.We at Bitchin Dave’s thought it
would add some intrigue to the offseason lull to have a discussion on where we
feel the team is at and where they are headed.

The prognosticators will be Carl
“The Ref” Leone , Chad “ The Baumhower” Ronnebaum . We will be having a
position by position debate on where the Dolphins ranked in 2013 as well as
where we see them ranking at the end of 2014.We are going to start with our pre-draft rankings and then will update
this post draft and probably once or twice prior to the start of season as the
final free agent signings and injuries shape the team during training camp and
the preseason.

Scale: We are using a 10 point
scale to rank where we felt the positions ranked against the rest of league in
2013 as well as where we predict they will rank in 2014.5 out of 10 for example would mean we rank
the unit as about the 15-16th best unit in the league.10 out of 10 would basically feature pro bowl
players at the top of the league and 0 out of 10 would be dead last or the
worst unit in the league. In the final Issue number nine will review the special teams.

Special Teams

Chad’s
TakeCarl’s Take

2013
Position Rank

4 out of 103 out of 10

2014
Prediction

6 out of 105 out of 10

Predicted
Depth Chart

2014
Improvement/Decline Prediction

Brandon Fields

00

Caleb Sturgis

+2+2 or
Cut

Marcus Thigpen

00
or Cut

Carl: Here is
where the rubber hits the road.

Chad: The
Dolphins special teams were not that special in 2013.The bright spot was punter Brandon Fields who
has turned into one of the better punters in the league. He is developing good placement
skills and has a boomer for a leg.Punters typically don’t drop off much so I would expect another solid
year out of Fields.

Carl: Fields is
the best in the league. Hands down. He has consistently been a stat leader
since entering the league and he got robbed by a few bonehead penalties by our
cover team.

Chad: Caleb
Sturgis was inconsistent through 2013 as you might expect with a rookie
kicker.He missed two kicks inside 39
yds.Not acceptable from a NFL caliber
kicker.

Carl: He is not
going to survive the season if he doesn’t get straightened out in camp. If they
move the extra point line back permanently he would be gone already. He had a
good half dozen extra points just slide inside the goal posts. I am dying to
see how this plays out the first couple preseason games.

Chad:He also missed two from the range of 40-49
yards and he missed 4 from over 50 yards.Keeping in mind he was only a rookie, I expect a jump in improvement
this year. I would expect him to be 100% inside 39 yards and 90% inside 49
yards and finally 75% in the 50-59 range.

Carl: 75% is a
lot to ask any kicker from 50-59 yards. I would take 50% any day.

Chad: Let’s all
hope he reaches that this season.2 or 3
missed kicks can be the difference in the making the playoffs.

Carl: 2 or 3
missed kicks and you get fired. Clean out the locker. I expect competition in
camp and Sturgis may not survive. Although he does boom those kick offs.

Chad: Marcus
Thigpen was ok but not spectacular in 2013. He brings some additional value as
a player that can get in on a few other plays out of the backfield as he showed
in the New England game.

Carl: If we draft
a WR that can return kicks then Thigpen is a goner.

Chad: I am not a
big fan of bringing the ball out of the end zone on kick returns unless you are
behind with only seconds remaining. I think you have to make it to the 30 yard
line to make it worthwhile.Every time
you return a kickoff you are risking a game changing turnover as well as
risking injuries to players.So in my mind
it is not worthwhile to give a roster spot to a return “specialists”. In
particular if it takes away a solid #5 WR or #4 RB off your roster.

Carl: Injuries
are a legitimate concern but they are part of the game. Our return units cannot
block to save their lives. We also made too many bonehead mistakes covering
great kicks, getting penalized and then having to re-kick only to have them get
a great return. I thought the Specials Team coach should’ve been fired. In the
middle of the season! This unit, other than Fields and Denny, our long snapper,
needs a makeover. Big time.